Latch for slidable closures



July 14, 1964 SANDERS 3,140,889

LATCH FOR SLIDABLE 'CLOSURES Filed Jan. 21, 11963 F'yx/ United States Patent 3,140,889 LATCH FOR SLIDABLE CLOSURES Murray A. Sanders, Roslyn Estates, N.Y. (33-s3 62nd St., Woodside 77, NY.) Filed Jan. 21, 1963, Ser. No. 252,923 4 Claims. (Cl. 292-128) This invention relates generally to the field of latching devices, and more particularly to an improved latch for slidable closures, such as windows in display cases, dwelhugs and the like. Devices of this type are generally well-known in the art, and the invention lies in specific constructional details permitting increased economy in fabrication, ease of assembly and incorporation into the sliding closure, and improved theft-proof qualities.

It is among the principal objects of the present invention to provide a latch member in which the bulk of the parts comprising the same may be disposed within a hollow extruded frame member forming a part of the closure, with only the actual locking hook and a manually operable lever exposed to view.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of an improved latch for sliding closures in which substantially all of the parts may be formed from die castings, thereby eliminating the necessity of machining to tolerances during assembly.

A further object of the invention lies in the provision of a latch for slidable closures of the class described in which the cost of fabrication may be of a reasonably low order, comparable with existing prior art devices, with consequent wide sale, distribution and use:

Still another object of the invention lies in the provision of an improved latch for slidable closures which is reversible at time of installation, that is to say which may be used for either leftor right-hand closures by a simple rearrangement of the parts, and without any modification of said parts.

A feature of the invention lies in the unusually attractive appearance of the exposed portions of the device which may harmonize with the details of the extruded frame in which it is disposed.

Another feature of the invention lies in the provision of a latch member which engages in an upward direction, whereby unauthorized attempts to remove the sliding closure from its sliding frame by an upward lifting motion sufficient to clear the closure from the lower edge of its sliding frame will not disengage the latch from locked condition.

These objects and features, as well as other incidental ends and advantages, will more fully appear in the progress of the following disclosure, and be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing, to which reference will be made in the specification, similar reference characters have been employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIGURE 1 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view showing an embodiment of the invention in installed condition within a hollow extruded frame member, and in engaged or locking position.

FIGURE 2 is a bottom plan view thereof as seen from the lower portion of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view similar to that seen in FIGURE 1, but showing the position of the latch housing element prior to being fully seated within the hollow extruded frame member.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary exploded view in perspective of the embodiment.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary view in elevation, partly broken away to show detail of a sliding closure in installed condition employing the inventive structure.

In accordance with the invention, the device, generally 3,140,889 Patented July 14, 1964 indicated by reference character 10, is shown in FIG- URE 1 in installed condition within a hollow extruded tubing 11 forming a part of a window frame. The tubing 11 includes a box-like section 12 bounded by an outer wall 13 having a dovetailed portion 14 for supporting a rubber gasket (not shown) as well as side walls 15 and 16, and an inner wall 17 from which projects a pair of glass pane-retaining flanges 18 and 19. The Walls 13, 15, 16 and 17 define an elongated rectangular channel 20, there being a slot 21 in the front wall communicating with the chamber 20. The device 10 includes a latch housing element 23, a latch element 24, a handle element 25 and a striker plate element 26.

The latch housing element 23, as has been mentioned, is preferably formed as a unitized die casting, and includes a principal wall member 30 having an upper portion 31, a generally centrally disposed portion 32 and a lower portion 33.

The upper portion 31 is bounded by an upper transverse edge 35, and upper side edges 36 and 37. Upper side walls 38 and 39 extend from the edges 36 and 37, respectively, and are interconnected by a. transversely extending web 40 which supports a centrally disposed stud 41. The stud 41 includes an outer spring-engaging portion 42. Intermediate transverse edges 43 and 44 are substantially parallel to the upper transverse edge 35.

The central portion 32 is generally elongated in configuration, and is bounded by side edges 46 and 47. A longitudinally extending web 48 communicates with a first hollow boss 49 having a through opening 50, the boss 49 being adjacent a second hollow boss 51 having a larger through opening 52.

The lower portion 33 is bounded by intermediate transversely extending edges 60 and 61, corresponding to the edges 43 and 44, and a lower transverse edge 62 corresponding to the edge 35'. A pair of angularly disposed projections 63 and 64 extend from the second boss 51 to form latch stops 65 and 66 for limiting the path of pivotal movement of the latch element 24.

The latch element 24 is also formed as a die casting, and includes a symmetrical cylindrical member '70 from which extends a planar generally centrally disposed latch member 71.

The cylindrical member 70 includes an outer surface 74 engaging the surface of the opening 52, as well as planar end surfaces 75 and 76. A threaded axially dis posed bore 77 is terminated at each end by a square countersunk portion 78-79.

The latch member 71 includes an elongated portion 81 having a bore 82 transversely arranged therein. At the free end thereof is a camming edge 83 leading to a hook portion 84. An offset portion 85 supports locking projections 86 and 87 engageable with the latch stops 65 and 66, respectively, to determine the limits of pivotal motion of the latch element 24 with respect to the latch housing element 23. A coil spring 88 interconnects the edge of the bore 82 with the spring-engaging portion 42 of the stud 41 to normally urge the latch element in a clockwise direction as seen in FIGURES 1 and 3.

The handle element 25 may be of any desired configuration, as, for example, that seen in FIGURES 2 and 4, and extends through an opening 91 in a side wall 15 or 16. It includes a cylindrical stud member 92 having an inner square portion 93 engageable selectively in one of the countersunk portions 78-79, and a headed portion 94 having a laterally extending member 95 which mounts an angularly disposed lever member 96. A centrally disposed bore 97 accommodates a screw 98 which engages the threads of the bore 77.

The striker plate element 26 may be of conventional type, preferably formed as a die casting, and including an inner surface 100, an outer surface 101, an upper edge 102, a lower edge 103, as well as side edges 104 and 105. A pair of screw-engaging slots 106 and 107 permit longitudinal adjustment of the element 26, and a rectangular latch-engaging slot 108 is positioned between the slots 106 and 107. Referring to FIGURE 5, there is seen a,

framed window opening 111 in which there is disposed a completed sliding window 112, the window 112 riding in U-shaped channels 113 disposed in the upper and lower portions 114 and 115, respectively, of the opening 111. Owing to the relatively large tolerances which have been accepted in the building industry, the window 112 can under certain circumstances be raised sufficiently toward the upper edge 102 to permit the lower edge of the Window 112 to be disengaged from its corresponding U- channel 113. In such circumstances, the window may then be completely removed, and entry obtained into the building.

Such movement would normally disengage a downwardly acting latch member, which would no longer be in a position to maintain the window 112 in closed condition. In the present embodiment, upward motion of the type described would not disengage the latch member with respect to the striker plate, and thus unauthorized removal of the window would be effectively prevented even in those cases where excessively large clearances are present.

During assembly of the latch housing element 23 within the chamber 20, the same is slid into position starting from the upper portion thereof until the latch element 24 projects through the slot 21. In this position, it may be fixed by means of a screw 115 which penetrates the side wall 16 and engages the boss 49 in the opening 50. A self-tapping type of engagement may be made.

I wish it to be understood that I do not consider the invention limited to the precise details of structure shown and set forth in this specification, for obvious modifications will occur to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains.

I claim:

1. In combination, a hollow elongated metallic window frame having a substantially continuous channel therein of given cross section, a latch housing element of corresponding cross section slidably arranged for movement within said channel, said frame having an outer wall forming one side of said channel, there being an elongated slot in said wall communicating with said channel, a latch member mounted upon said latch housing and slidable therewith, said latch member being pivotally movable from a first position in which it lies completely within said channel to a second position in which it projects through said opening in said outer wall upon being aligned opposite said opening.

2. In combination, a hollow elongated metallic window frame having a substantially continuous channel therein of given cross section, a latch housing element of corresponding cross section slidably arranged for movement within said channel, said frame having an outer wall forming one side of said channel, there being an elongated slot in said wall communicating with said channel, a latch member mounted upon said latch housing and slidable therewith, said latch member being pivotally movable from a first position in which it lies completely within said channel to a second position in which it projects through said opening in said outer wall upon being aligned opposite said opening; and means to fix the position of said latch housing within said channel.

3. In combination, a hollow elongated metallic Window frame having a substantially continuous channel therein of given cross section, a latch housing element of corresponding cross section slidably arranged for movement within said channel, said frame having an outer wall forming one side of said channel, there being an elongated slot in said wall communicating with said channel, a latch member mounted upon said latch housing and slidable therewith, said latch member being pivotally movable from a first position in which it lies completely within said channel to a second position in which it projects through said opening in said outer wall upon being aligned oppositesaid opening; means to fix the position of said latch housing within said channel; and resilient means for urging said latch member to said second position.

4. In combination, a hollow elongated metallic window frame having a substantially continuous channel therein of given cross section, a latch housing element of corresponding cross section slidably arranged for movement within said channel, said frame having an outer wall forming one side of said channel, there being an elongated slot in said wall communicating with said channel, a latch member mounted upon said latch housing and slidable therewith, said latch member being pivotally movable from a first position in which it lies completely within said channel to a second position in which it projects through said opening in said outer wall upon being aligned opposite said opening; means to fix the position of said latch housing within said channel; resilient means for urging said latch member to said second position; and means communicating with said channel and extending outwardly thereof for manually manipulating said latch member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

4. IN COMBINATION, A HOLLOW ELONGATED METALLIC WINDOW FRAME HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY CONTINUOUS CHANNEL THEREIN OF GIVEN CROSS SECTION, A LATCH HOUSING ELEMENT OF CORRESPONDING CROSS SECTION SLIDABLY ARRANGED FOR MOVEMENT WITHIN SAID CHANNEL, SAID FRAME HAVING AN OUTER WALL FORMING ONE SIDE OF SAID CHANNEL, THERE BEING AN ELONGATED SLOT IN SAID WALL COMMUNICATING WITH SAID CHANNEL, A LATCH MEMBER MOUNTED UPON SAID LATCH HOUSING AND SLIDABLE THEREWITH, SAID LATCH MEMBER BEING PIVOTALLY MOVABLE FROM A FIRST POSITION IN WHICH IT LIES COMPLETELY WITHIN SAID CHANNEL TO A SECOND POSITION IN WHICH IT PROJECTS THROUGH SAID OPENING IN SAID OUTER WALL UPON BEING ALIGNED OPPOSITE SAID OPENING; MEANS TO FIX THE POSITION OF SAID LATCH HOUSING WITHIN SAID CHANNEL; RESILIENT MEANS FOR URGING SAID LATCH MEMBER TO SAID SECOND POSITION; AND MEANS COMMUNICATING WITH SAID CHANNEL AND EXTENDING OUTWARDLY THEREOF FOR MANUALLY MANIPULATING SAID LATCH MEMBER. 